With the increased popularity of marketing various products (e.g., beverages) in returnable capped bottles and in quantities of four, six or eight, it is highly desirable that such bottles be packaged in carriers which are suitable for accommodating such bottles when filled and empty.
Various carriers for such purposes have heretofore been provided; however, because of certain inherent design characteristics, they are beset with one or more of the following shortcomings: (a) the carrier utilizes an inordinate amount of material; (b) the blank, or blanks, from which the carrier is formed are of complex configuration and difficult and awkward to set up to form the carrier; (c) the carrier is mutilated and seriously weakened when the articles are initially removed from the carrier; (d) the articles are susceptible to falling out or being accidentally removed from the carrier when the latter is being subjected to normal handling; (e) portions of the carrier become severely distorted when the loaded carrier is being manually carried, thereby rendering the carrier unstable and awkward to carry; and (f) the carrier is difficult to load with high-speed equipment.